I just don't have a recollection that the majority of members have every time for years, only expressed disdain for what you are hoping for TR. My recollection is that there has been back and forth on the subject, with probability that the end consensus was usually that no one knows. To me the most grand gift is that God has promised us that Rapture. That He will save His Bride out of the clutches of the Tribulation, out of the hands of the evil men and their evil plans that we are now only seeing a portion of - and that is bad enough! What we will be saved out of in that twinkling of an eye, is the ultimate Gift imo. Speaking for many I believe, our eyes and hearts and faith are on the Rapture itself. Our focus is that glorious Call upward to meet Jesus in the Air. This is the gift. This is the promise, this is the majestic power of God as we have never seen. His spoken Word coming to Life, commanding in the most beautiful creative way! I personally don't feel that I need prior knowledge of that Day. I'm so immersed in just That Day alone, in all it's Glory. Aren't we to be believing that the Rapture can come at any second anyway? Why would we want to hold on to one more minute of life on earth, let alone 3 days. If the Body of Christ could be with the Lord in the next second, staying 3 days on earth instead could be torture, knowing it's coming but not yet being with Him. Which would you really choose. The Rapture is for those who believe! Have we not preached to and prayed for salvation to strangers, acquaintances, friends, co-workers and family, some who have heeded the call, but many who have not? Should God grant 3 more days for what His children had spent our christian lifetimes sharing with others, to no avail? How heartbreaking to us, for the one's who have not listened. We have been shunned, rejected, mocked, and have watched these we love, walk away, from Jesus, their only Hope. For many, all we have left is that they will make the right choice in the Tribulation. Yes, choice! Choice is biblical. For all those who continued to resist the call of Christ, who resisted those who love them, who told Truth to them, those who resisted God's outstretched arm; it was their choice. Would God grant a special 3 day notice for them to make a final choice? He would have to present to them some sort of miracle revelation or manifestation to make them believe. Would He give that to those who have willingly rejected Him at every opportunity they had to just simply believe, in faith? I'm thinking not. I'm thinking many will heartbreakingly have to suffer the Tribulation because of their choices. The Word says: ..."I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing, (good and evil), therefore choose life that you and your descendants may live; that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice and that you may cling to Him, for He is your Life and the length of your days." I'm just not sure or sense that God would give that 3 day last chance to those who wouldn't embrace Him, though at the very least God has said, ..."because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world, His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead so that they are without excuse." This was their choice, as painful as that is. Thank the Lord we can continue to pray for the lost and those we love, right up to the moment of the Rapture. Imo, that is God's focus for us up till then. :heart: I advise that each of us ask ourselves and God too, whether continuing to belabor the nature or expectation of this prior-notice by God question is worthwhile. I suggest everyone with a personal interest of whatever nature, conduct their own private risk analysis. Most all of us have settled our own expectations of what the future holds relative to the Rapture. That's why we're all here. Our hopes are important to us, but I guarantee none of us knows everything about the future and the unfolding of these end times. What we individually expect, may not manifest. I recall relative to discussions a rule of thumb that says, "In essentials Unity, in non-essentials Liberty, in all things, Charity." An argument concerning an essential point is something worth "going to the mat" for. However, going to the mat disagreeing on non-essential points should be avoided. Romans 12:18 urges us, "If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all." Just because someone else, or even everyone else, might not share my own views about even my most cherished expectations, doesn't make mine wrong nor right. Nor can any of my personal God-felt sincere beliefs validate them. The future may be repeated as in the past, but the Rapture in particular is without precedent. I even hesitate to declare that though without qualifying it -- nothing new under the sun. King Solomon mentions "ages past." My nature upon encountering this sort of disagreement we seem to have is to walk away. If lots of, or even a few people, see this as an essential, go ahead and debate it. "Maybe so, maybe not...?!?!?" But please don't be discouraged if I'm uninvolved. It's non-essential doctrine deserving LIBERTY! And I'd prefer the discussion be taken offline to Private Messaging and there debated for a few more weeks until the Rapture. Who knows? Maybe there will be a prize for whomever was right, or even close. So those are just my characteristically verbose thoughts. No harm. No foul. As Yohanan often writes, "Carry on." Well I’m an odd ball here … because I would LOVE to know the rapture date and often asked for clues. B-) If not the actual day then at lease the month or the year would be nice. Then I would mark off my calendar with glee :mail: as I anxiously wait … like it was Christmas day. My circumstances are all so different from many of you. You all have family and the burdens of loved ones who are still not saved … so you’re torn and want to still stay here to see them become believers. I understand your wish. My circumstances are the total opposite. I never wanted to be married nor have any kids. I had fun with the single life while staying faithful and doing the Lord’s work in witnessing. My work is now done … its far and few who want to talk and hear the Good News. I feel like I’m in limbo as I long to go to my eternal home. My loved ones that truly cared for me are already there waiting … while I spend almost every holiday by myself with my faithful companion fur baby. Life sure hasn’t been fun this past 11 years … its like being in prison but you are able to walk around. I used to go out to eat and bring my ipad or a book and I would often observe the tables around me with people laughing and having a good time with their families while I waited for my meal. I used to envy them … I had to remind myself of Psalm 37 and read it twice a day. I started to look at them in a different light … chances are they are all lost and this life is all they have and then they will not see each other ever again. Then my attitude changed … I no longer envied but felt sorry for them instead. The tables will be changing soon and only good times forevermore will be my future. Then when covid hit … I think that changed the playing field for EVERYONE so I really feel sorry for the lost now. Plus with time speeding up they really are getting short changed if they don’t wise up and get saved soon. So with these thoughts and with my unique circumstances in this lonely life … I would LOVE to have that high watch date disclosure and would stay on cloud 9 as I wait for the approaching day of departure!!!!! :whistle: Geri, before Covid I used to eat a late lunch at the same comfortable restaurant by myself every day. I started talking to the other people who also went there all the time, some singles and some couples, and eventually I became friends with many of them. A lot were Christians. I miss that. Or as like a prisoner thrilled to get a release date from prison! No matter, it’s in God’s hands! Twice I was kindly asked to present my thoughts, though some privately have shared in this sentiment positively, the concences overall speaks for itself! Thanks for the limited yet frank opinions! TR I don't think I've ever seen a tittle cause so much consternation. :wacko: TR, you already are free. Since you have put your trust in Jesus for your salvation, you are no longer in prison or in bondage. The shackles you wore, and we all once wore, have been broken. :good: You might say that we are in a war and behind enemy lines. That would be true. However, the good news is that the enemy cannot capture us or imprison us any longer. John 8:36 New King James Version 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. Luke 4:18 New King James Version 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; A jot and tittle? Or joust and tilting? :unsure: Good perspective Arthur, that is helpful- sometimes I get hyper-focused on the fact that I want to go home because I long for the reunion with my daughter so much, but it's good to get my mind off of myself and back to the work at hand, we all know it is sooner than it has ever been, and I certainly want to be told "well done thou good and faithful servant".....I will now look think about another day to earn rewards :thankyou
